Nimona By Aparna Bose

Aparna wanted to share with BitebyByte a Bengali Vegetarian Recipe that she learnt from her grandmother. Well, BitebyByte feels privileged to curate recipes that are no more very prevalent in modern kitchens. We have always tried to present recipes from kitchens of grannys and moms — simple home-style food, loaded with taste and nutrients. Thank you Aparna, for adding to the repertoire.

Aparna Bose is a home cook and also the Proprietor of Gograshe – a food catering organization.

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

  • Green peas – 1 cup – ground coarsely
  • 1/4th cup – fine paste Mangaudi/Vadi/bodi- about 10
  • Ghee – 1 table spoon or as required
  • Mustard oil- 2 table spoon
  • Bay leaf – 1 or 2
  • Cardamom – 2
  • Clove – 1
  • Cinnamon – half inch
  • Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Asafoetida – one generous pinch
  • Onion paste – one tbspn
  • Green chilli paste – as required
  • Tomato purée/grated – 1 tbspn
  • Ginger paste – one tbspn
  • Garlic paste – half tbspn
  • Coriander (Cilantro) – one bunch (chopped)
  • Garam masala paste – one teaspoon
  • Salt – as required
  • Sugar – pinch
  • Turmeric – pinch
  • Potato – one large (optional)

 

 

METHOD

 

  • If using frozen peas then no need to blanch, otherwise blanch the peas, and blend one fourth of a cup into a fine paste and coarsely grind one cup.
  • Fry the vadis and diced potatoes and keep them aside.
  • Smoke and cool the mustard oil, then again on a medium heat add bay leaf, whole garam masala, dried red chilli, jeera and asafeoetida.
  • Once the spices start spluttering, add the onion+ginger+garlic paste , green chilli paste, pinch of haldi and sugar.
  • Fry till the raw smell goes away.
  • Add the tomato purée , chopped coriander leaves and the finely blended peas.
  • Keep sprinkling little water every 30 seconds while stirring the masala.
  • Add rest of the peas and salt when you see oil separating and oozing on the sides followed by 250 ml or one cup of water and cook covered for 5 min on a medium flame.
  • Add ghee and garam masala paste and the potatoes and cook for another 2 minutes or so.
  • If you are adding the vadis or boris then add them just before switching off the gas.
  • Consistency is as per choice, usually not a very runny gravy and mostly devoured with roti, parantha or rice.

 

NOTES

*Mangaudi is nothing but the very simple sun dried dumplings or “mug dal er bori”.

*You may add paneer (cubes) too.

*Instead of tomato purée you may add yogurt .

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